The Harsh Reality
by sarrahi12
Summary: Throughout the series, Tea has proven to be a true loyal friend. She has always been there for her friends whenever they needed her. But what if Tea is not a friend, but a foe? One that hapens to work for Bakura? How will Yugi and the gang take this?
1. Chapter 1: Help

**Sarrahi12**

Hello everyone!!

Well I am a newbie here and well here is my first shot. I hope you like it. Please rate and leave a review after you read it, I'll really appreciate it. Also, I'll try to read your stories as well.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but thank the creators for creating this show.

**Summary:**

Throughout the series, Tea has proven to be a true loyal friend. But what if she is not really a friend, but a foe that happens to work for Bakura? Not only is that but that she is also involved in the

Pharaoh's long past? How will Yami and the gang react to this?

A Yami Yugi/Atem & Tea/Anzu story.

This is the retelling of what actually (which unfortunately didn't) happened. The Bakura being talked in here is the evil one. Ok? Here it goes.

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During Episode 50

Yugi and Tea are walking down the street on their way to school. While they walk, Yugi spots a fortune teller sitting in a chair near a table with a crystal ball near an alley. He goes to it. "Yugi where are you going?" asked Tea. But Yugi kept walking to the fortune teller. "What are you doing Yugi?"

"Tea," Yugi said. "Maybe the fortune teller can really figure out what's the spirit of the puzzle's faith."

"I don't know about this."

"Don't worry. I'll be fine."

'No you won't,' Tea thought. She tried to pull him out of there but Yugi turned to the fortune teller just in time. "Yugi, we really don't have that much time." 'Besides,' Tea thought. 'I sense that creep is going to do something, and it's not good.'

"Boy," said the fortune teller, in order to see your future I'll need a personal item. Say, that necklace of yours looks just fine."

"My what?" said Yugi. "I'm sorry I can't"

"Then I can't tell your fortune"

"Yeah but . . . Ok" He takes off his necklace and then gives it to the fortune teller.

"Yugi NO!" screamed Tea, but it was too late. The fortune teller already had his hands on the Millennium Puzzle. He instantly stood up and threw the table at them and left off running. But Tea was fast. As if right on cue, she jumped over the table and began chasing the guy, while the poor Yugi was crashed by the table and knocked with the crystal ball and fell unconscious. Tea knew this would happen, but she kept on running after the guy. She saw some arrows posted on the walls, pointing were Tea thought to be were the guy was headed for. 'Yugi will follow them when he wakes up,' she thought. 'But until then, this jerk has to get what he deserves.'

She saw the guy enter an abandoned warehouse. She followed him inside, and as she entered, the door instantly locked behind her. She didn't care; actually it benefited her by preventing this jerk from running away.

"All right," she said. "Before anyone gets hurt, I want you to come out from your little hiding place and I'll let you die another day."

"Ha, ha, ha. And what exactly are you going to do about it puppet? You are nothing but a girl," said the guy out of nowhere.

"You just don't know who you are messing with. Come out and face me now!" the guy did as she said. Tea knew who this guy was since the beginning, but for some strange reason, she never pointed it out until now. "I knew it. But it's not really you whom I'm talking to right now. Isn't that right . . . Merick?" the guy just stood there motionless.

"How did you now tha-"

"That doesn't matter right now. Now give me back Yugi's puzzle and I promise not to hurt you."

"Why don't you come and get it. It's over there." The man pointed his finger up to a pole where the millennium puzzle hanged on a nail. Tea ran to it but was suddenly pushed away from it by the busty arms of the man and fell to the floor. Listen girl, whom ever you are or whatever you say you are. I'm not letting you to ruin my plans that easily so beat it."

"I'm giving you one more chance."

"Don't make me laugh," the guy said. Tea looked around her surroundings for a moment. 'The Pharaoh's spirit isn't present, this is my chance to do what I can,' Tea thought. She stood up from her position with a face full of anger and determination.

"Even though the guy you use as puppet is a jerk, I'll free him from his prison Merick."

"How is that? You don't have the power to-"

"I sure do, and I'll prove it to you right now!"

"Not if I stand in the way!" Tea began moving her hands in some sort of dance ritual form. The Merick began to panic and scanned the room for anything that can help. 'I can sense this girl has some strong power within her,' he thought. He saw a torch near where he plunged the millennium puzzle. He ran to it, grabbed it, and charged at her, waving the torch in front of him from back to forth. His pace was cut down as someone stopped his tracks and fall down to the floor partially unconscious. It wasn't Tea. It was a man with a dark leather jacket and white sharp hair. "I got this handled Bakura," Tea said.

"It seems to me like you don't," Bakura replied.

"You really know how to make an entrance."

"All done after so long ago. But let's not talk about that now. I need the millennium puzzle before Yugi and his groups of idiots come to the rescue."

"Why do you need it for?"

"You'll see it when the time is right. Now hand it over!" Tea waved her hand up into the air, pointing to where the Millennium Puzzle hanged. The Millennium Puzzle then magically fled to Tea's hand. When it reached her hand, she handed it to Bakura. "Excellent," he said, before smashing down the Millennium Puzzle into the ground, making a shocked Tea to step back as all of its pieces went flying around the ground.

"Quiet!" Bakura said, before Tea could object to his actions. "It is part of my plan. Don't worry Yugi will be able to put it back together." He grabbed one of the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle and hold it tightly in his hand. A small glow escaped from his hand as he did this. He then gathered the rest of the pieces of the puzzle and handed it to Tea. "Here," he said, give this back to Yugi and tell him that that idiot was the one who did this. Oh and stay aware for I'll come to visit you again."

"What are you up to Bakura?'

"All in good time Tea. All in good time," Bakura said as he vanished. Tea looked down at the pieces of the puzzle and then stuffed it into her school bag pack. She looked at the psycho guy that this Merick creep came to take over his mind. The psycho guy then stood up, scared of his surroundings, scared of everything, just as a schizophrenic would do. He grabbed the torch still lit from the ground and began waving it in a crazy way. Tripping over many things and setting them on fire. One of those things happened to be gas gallons. When he came in contact with those two, it immediately exploded. Making the whole warehouse to be caught in fire, including him.

"O great. Now how am I supposed to get out of here? I can't use my powers here or else it would be weird for everyone, including the pharaoh. I have to look for a way out," Tea said. She turned her body around the place, looking for the one and only door that led her in this whole mess. She found it, but to her fortune, it was already caught in fire. At this point, Tea began to cough at the black smoke that protruded from the fiery flames of the fire. She looked for any windows in the warehouse, but she knew that even if she found one without fire, her hopes for surviving will be low. All warehouses, no matter where you lived, consist of small windows that are usually high up in the walls of its beholder. She was trapped. Exhausted and dizzy from the air, she sat down on the ground, giving up to everything that she had worked for many years. She coughed several times before she heard the sound of her friends along with the sirens of the firefighters' trucks.

"Help," was all she managed to say in her low voice, before she sank into a deep profound sleep.

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so there you have it! I hope you like it and I promise you to update soon. C'ya!


	2. Chapter 2: Ps: Get Well Soon

Sarrahi12

OK everyone, here's Chapter 2: PS: Get Well Soon. Enjoy! & please R&R.

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"Tea?" said a small childish voice.

"Tea can you hear us?" said another voice."Come on Tea! Wake up!"

"I'm too tired," said Tea as she turned her face away from the voices. "I don't want to go to school."

"Put ya self together," said yet another but much more disturbing voice. "Wake up!" the voice beholder shook Tea's body from side to side wildly. This enraged her.

"DROP IT WHEELER!" Tea screamed as she tried to grab Joey's neck to strangle it, but a sharp pain came from her spine, along with the now sensed weakness in her arms to strangle Joey. Joey made a small laugh as to not make Tea to try to strangle him again and maybe this time succeed.

"Calm down Tea!" said the childish voice. "You won't get healed soon enough if you don't rest."

"I would like to do just that," Tea said. She then turned to Joey. "Until my alarm clock decided to drop by for a visit!"

"Sorry Tea," said Joey. "I was just worried about you just as the rest of us here."

'Liar,' thought Tea. 'You are only here in this stupid hospital so that you can pretend to be the good guys before their guilt for not doing it eats them.'

"It's true Tea," said Tristan, stepping closer to her bed. "After what Yugi told us of what that creep did and you went after him with no one to help you, we ran to were you two were going. We saw some arrows on the way, but we didn't really think it was you that did this. Man, that guy that did this must of have been nuts for taking away Yugi's puzzle and still leave bread crumbles to follow him. But still, when we got to the warehouse where the arrows have lead us, it was caught on fire. We really hoped that you were not in there."

"Yeah Tea," said Joey. "We were scared to death that you were there"

"You did?" Tea asked.

"All of us did," said Yugi. "We braked inside the warehouse. The Firemen tried to stop us, but Joey and Tristan helped to get rid of those guys. You might already know how that ended. When we got inside looked for any signs of you or anyone else in there, but we were all mostly concerned in you. Joey was the one that spotted you, lying near a dueling arena with your bag in your hands."

"The bag!" Tea said. "You didn't drop it right? The Millennium Puzzle was in there, or at list its pieces were. That creep shattered it to pieces when I tried to go after it."

"Don't worry Tea," Yugi said. "We could all tell that there was something important there by the way you had your bag. And look!" Yugi showed her the Millennium Puzzle, complete in all aspects. At this, the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle appeared in his ghostly form next to Yugi. No one but Yugi could see him. Or at least that's what they thought. Tea could also see him, but she always ignored his presence when he was in this form.

"I'm glad you could still put the pieces together."

"Yeah, but it was all thanks to you Tea. If you were not to go after that evil guy that stole my Millennium Puzzle I might have never seen it again. Thanks Tea."

"It was really nothing"

"Yugi can I speak with Tea?" asked the Pharaoh. Tea tried so hard to not turn to face him. His voice was what she would call the forbidden apple that she would want to have a bite at, or in this case hear of. "Sure," Yugi said to him trough their mental link. They switched.

"Tea," said the Pharaoh. "What you did for me and Yugi yesterday does not mean nothing for everyone in here, especially for me. You risked your life out there. You could have gotten killed or worse." The Pharaoh shut his eyes tightly at the very thought of the worst part. Tea looked down at that part, not really noticing that it could have actually got worse. Just like the time she was about to be raped by a psychopath at the school, and luckily the Pharaoh was there to save her. Using her powers was a risk to everyone, including herself. Had she used them back then and even recently would have easily blown up the plan that she had worked for so many years ago. "I'm sorry," Tea said. The Pharaoh flashed a smile at her.

"Don't be," he said. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here in this room with you."

"Exactly!" Joey and Tristan said. "Ya r da hero of da day Tea," Joey said. "By the way, how did ya got away from dat guy eh? Who was he? N' what did he wanned to do with da Millennium Puzzle?" Tea looked down at her feet, looking for a way to answer all of Joey's questions. She couldn't tell him about Bakura and what he really did to the puzzle, which would make Joey to throw up more questions on her.

"What did he do to you Tea?" asked the Pharaoh sitting next to Tea's bed, mistaking her silence for a horrible flashback that the guy might have done to her. His face hardened at the prolonged silence that Tea emitted, thinking that the guy probably did what he thought of. "He is going to pay when I find him," he finally said as he stood up from his place and turned towards the door.

"Wait!" Tea said. The Pharaoh stopped his tracks and turned to the blue-eyed, porcelain maiden. "It wasn't like that." The Pharaoh sighed in relief. "Though he did try to hurt me," Tea added quickly. The Pharaoh's face hardened. "But I managed to keep away from most of his strikes. Don't be that angry with him Ph . . ." Tea suddenly stopped as she soon realized what she was about to call the spirit of the puzzle. The Pharaoh motioned her to continue, as did the rest of the gang. ". . . for he was manipulated by some guy called Merick. He wanted your Millennium Puzzle for something, but I'm not sure for what. I tried to take it away from him but he smashed it to the ground and it shattered to pieces. He said that he would give me a chance to escape, if I could. I grabbed all the Millennium Puzzle's pieces and put it on my bag. And just when I was done with it, I looked up and saw that the man was setting the whole place on fire with a lit torch . . . I tried to stop him but he shove me off and I knocked myself with something really hand that made me faint. After that, I don't remember a thing."

"Well, we found you and Joey Picked you out of there before the whole warehouse came down to us," Tristan said.

"You really did that Joey?" Tea asked while Joey nodded at the question he knew she would ask. "Thank you Joey, and all of you that found me."

"No probl'm," Joey said. "Just be careful da next time alright?" Tea nodded.

"I just wish that I was there to help you," the Pharaoh said.

"Well, you always had for me and the rest of us here," Tea said. "I know, take this that I've done for you as a repay for all the ones that you have done for me and the world."

"No Tea. Your life is worth much more than mine does. There must be away to repay you."

"There's no need for that."

"I insist."

'Wow, even without you knowing that you had good leadership and persuasive power in the past, you still manage to practice it. Even though you've forgotten all of your past life,' Tea thought. She sighted, giving up to the Pharaoh's wish. "Fine," she said. "What do you want to do?"

"Hmm," the Pharaoh said.

'Take her out to walk around the city, she will love that,' Yugi told the Pharaoh through their mind link.

"I can take you out for a walk around the city," the Pharaoh said.

'And you can take her to the movies,' Yugi added.

"And we can drop by to see a movie."

'And you can take her to Burger World'

"I can buy you a Burger World meal."

'And you can take her to the Arcade.'

"And I can take you to the arcade."

'And you can -'

'That's enough Yugi,' the Pharaoh interrupted. "So what do you say Tea?"

"I don't need to be treated like a queen Spirit," Tea said.

"You are right Tea. You deserve better than that. I promise you that I will make your day better than what I said."

"That's not what I meant ph . . . Spirit. But since you seem so stubborn about it, ok I will do it." The Pharaoh smiled widely.

"I promise you that I will make this . . . hangout, the best you ever had."

"Thank you. Well, just tell me when and where you want me to meet you at and I'll be there."

"Well, we will obviously have to wait until you are out of the hospital. And I will have to wait until the weekend so that you don't get distracted with your school. How about if you wait for me in Domino Station at 10 o'clock on the Saturday of the week that you get laid off from this hospital?"

"That sounds good to me."

"Good."

A knock was heard just behind Tea's door and a nurse walked in with her clipboard at hand. "I'm sorry gentlemen," she said. "but you will have excuse me. I'll have to make a check on Ms. Gardner and unfortunately visiting hours are over. But don't worry; you may come visit her tomorrow morning again."

"Aw nuts," Joey said as he walked to the door as did the rest of the gang.

"Don't worry Tea, we'll come back here tomorrow," The Pharaoh said.

"Ok. Good bye," she said.

"Good bye!" the gang said. And so they exited the room. As the Pharaoh closed the door behind him, he noticed a man walking towards Tea's room with a flower bouquet of blue flowers. "Excuse me sir," the Pharaoh said as the man approached the door where Tea was. "From who are those flowers?"

"Sorry dude, I can't tell you," the guy said. "It's from a secret admirer." He knocked on the door and walked quickly inside as he heard a "Come in" response. "I wonder who might be the one giving flowers to Tea," the Pharaoh said.

"Are you jealous?" Yugi asked as he appeared in his spirit form. This took the Pharaoh of surprise.

"Me? Jealous?" the Pharaoh asked with a small hint of red on his cheeks. "How could I? It's just a simple question. Besides, I'm her friend and I just want to know if the guy that sent her the flowers is not a psychopath that wants to take advantage of. And it is also because . . ."

"Don't worry," Yugi broke in, patting his back. "I promise I won't tell anyone about it." He the then walked to were his friends exited.

"About what Yugi?"

Yugi sighed, "Poor lovebird, he doesn't even know what that is."

"Yugi wait!" the Pharaoh said as he ran back to his friend.

At Tea's Hospital Room:

"Beautiful blue flowers for the blue-eyed Ms. Gardner!" the flower boy said as we walked in into Tea's room.

"Flowers for me? Who sent those flowers?" Tea asked.

"Well, if you really want to know, I'd suggest you to take them and read the note on top of them." The flower boy handed the flowers to Tea. When she took it, both nurse and flower boy left the room for her. Tea looked to were the note was and took it. It read: _To: Tea Gardner, From: Secret Admirer_. She opened the note and read it. It read:

_Dear Tea,_

_**B**__e not mad at me for putting you in that hospital bed, you know it's risky to use your powers _

_**A**__nd it will ruin the plans that we put up for many years ago. I hope you get well soon. I need your beautiful_

_**K**__aolin body and mind to help me and you succeed in our plans. For that to happen, I will need you to _

_**U**__se what you have and help the pharaoh to regain some of his memories back and fight of any idiot that will try to_

_**R**__ob the pharaoh's Millennium Puzzle. Stop _

_**A**__cting like the stupid patient and get to work if you don't want our deal to end now!_

_Love, your not so_

_Secret Admirer._

As she reached the end of the note, Tea just threw the flower bouquet and note to the trashcan. The flower bouquet lay upside down, but the note remained open and on top of the flower bouquet. If someone was to kneel and look at it, the only thing that he or she would be able to see was:

_Ps: Get well soon_


	3. Chapter 3: Why me?

Sarrahi12: Hey everyone here's ch. 3 hope you enjoy n please leave a review in the way. God and I will thank you for ever!

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It has been three days when Tea had to leave the hospital. It was now Friday, the school bell rang, and everyone had instantly ran towards the door. Everyone but Tea, who was calmly putting away all her materials before being runned-over by the entire class of animals. Just before turning towards the door, Tea heard a small laugh from the corner of the room. It couldn't be the teacher. He has left the class just before the bell rang for God-knows-why. She didn't turn though. She knew exactly who that voice belonged to as if she heard it for hundreds and maybe thousands of years ago.

"What do you want Bakura?" she snapped at him.

"Tea, Tea, Tea. Is that how you treat your old friends? Did you liked the flowers I sent you? I was hoping you would put them somewhere not so far from the trash. Is that how you treat my most honorable friendship to you?" She didn't reply. Bakura hated this game she put up with him whenever they met. He reached for her and turned her body to face him, making Tea drop everything she was carrying on her way out. "I've got enough of your stupid games!"

Tea laughed. "I thought you loved to play games."

"Never yours"

"Look, let's get this over with and tell me what you want."

Bakura smirked as he took a strand of Tea's hair off from her head. She looked away for a moment, looking at the now falling rain from her class windows. Bakura forcefully turned her to face him again, his right hand holding Tea's jaw just were she wanted.

"Have you forgotten about the deal we made years ago?"

"How could I forget? I was the one who requested it."

"Then please care to explain me why the Pharaoh hasn't regained as much information from his past! If he doesn't recall as much as we need him to, our plans will fail! Don't you want to go back to were you truly belong Tea? Your real family and friends? Don't you!"

She let a small teardrop to fall from her eyes onto her cheek. Bakura smiled. "In the small date that you and the Pharaoh will have tomorrow I want you to help the Pharaoh to regain more memories, and with that our plans will succeed," he finally let go off her. He picked up all her stuff and handed it to her. As she was looking down, Bakura instantly took her jaw once more and kissed her. At this, Tea directly slapped him, leaving him a huge red mark on his cheek. He grinned, but Tea didn't even flinch at it. He approached her again, this time; Tea hid her face by looking at the floor. Bakura reached to touch her but she evaded it. He let out a soft laugh.

"I'll be watching you," He finally said. A lightning was seen, accompanied by a thunder, partially blinding Tea. When she was able to see, she saw that Bakura was soon gone.

"Tea!" a childish voice called. Tea quickly left the classroom and went into the hall, only to be stumbled down by her small star-haired friend.

"Ow . . . Yugi, what's going on?"

"Sorry Tea, I was just looking for you since I didn't see you near the door, I thought something bad happened. Are you all right?" He stood up from his position and then gave a hand for Tea to help her to stand.

"Thanks Yugi. And really I'm fine; I was just looking at the rain. "

"About that, we must hurry back home before it gets worse."

"OK."

They walked silently through the school hallways and stopped right before stepping out into the harsh rain. Tea looked at Yugi for a while, noticing that something was troubling her friend.

"So how's it going Yugi?"

He sighs, "Not so great. Actually, I need your help. And so does the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle."

"Oh . . . Uhuh."

"You see Tea, whoever it was that stole the Puzzle seemed to know a lot about its past. That reminds the spirit how little he knows about it. But you can help; on this date, I mean hang out, that you and the spirit of the Puzzle are going to have this Saturday morning

Tea thought about it for a second. She looked around the place until her eyes laid on a particular white sharp hair in the darkness. "Sure," she said. "But how exactly am I going to do that?" Yugi smiled. "You always have good advice. Just talk to him," he said and took off running. Tea reached for him but it was too late.

"But wait! What's the plan!?"

"Don't worry about it. It'll come naturally. Thanks Tea!"

"No problem." She looked down at the ground for a moment and saw a shadow appear before her. "You've heard us," she said. "Now you have nothing else to worry about." She walked to the open, never minding that the rain would soak her wet. "Remember," Bakura said. Tea turned to face him. "Don't spoil the whole surprise for the pharaoh, or else someone might get hurt."

"Go in peace you jerk," Tea said. She turned back to her destination, but was yet again stopped by Bakura's hateful voice.

"Oh and one more thing Tea," she stopped dead in her way. Her face and clothes were already wet by the rain. She turned to face him, but never said a word.

"Make me a favor and try to make the pharaoh to fall in love for you just like he did 5 millennia ago."

"What's your purpose in that?"

"Its part of my little game I am setting up for the pharaoh when he gets to unleash the rest of his memories."

"Why should I do it?"

"It doesn't look like I can, so I'm making you do it."

"Why me? Can't you look for some prostitute to do it?"

"Tea, I'm your one and only friend in this world, how can I think of you as one of those whores?"

"I didn't say that."

"But you somehow did. Anyways, I choose you because I can trust you; unlike those people you call friends. When did they ever call on you when they needed you eh? You always tell them that you are their friend, but are they really accepting you as such? And let me tell you this, it's not because you are a female or something. Just look at Mai Valentine. She is a female and a real friend to the gang. Why? Because the others need her by their side. Unlike you."

"But Yugi just asked me for my help."

"It's not really Yugi the one that's asking for it. It's the Pharaoh. So, why not play this game of friendship with, at least this idiot. Make him to fall in love with you so that then you could . . . "

"Just spill it."

"Dump him hard for everything he did to you recently and 5 millennia ago. Oh did you not hate what he did to you? I could have ended it all but your stupid sadness got in the way. Never mind that again and don't allow it to happen again, or else you'll be missing the only friend you have in this world. So what do you say? Are you in it yes or not?"

Tea looked down for a moment, considering everything that Bakura had just said to her. She looked hurt and angry at the memory that he had just triggered to go through her mind again. She finally looked up to him. "I'll do it," she said.

"That's my friend," Bakura said. He then went off to wonder around Domino City. Tea just stood there, her face now looking at the raining sky.

"You're going to pay for this all Pharaoh. It's your entire fault that I am being stuck here in this stupid world," she said. And as she said this, her whole body began to tremble. Not because she was cold and shivering due to the cold whether. No, it was because of something else. Something inside of Tea was trying to come out of her. She looked down to the ground, bracing her arms together. "No," she said. "Not right now. When the time is right. When the time is right. When the time is right." She then looked up and began walking back towards her house. Still repeating those very last words until she fell asleep in her house's bedroom.


	4. Chapter 4: Enjoy your Meal

**Finally I've made it! Sorry to keep you all waiting for this chapter, its been quite a while. It was because I had a lot of things to work on during these last two days. Anyways, thank you all of you people who have reviewed this story I really appreciate it a ton. I'm trying to read all of your stories too, just give me time to do it. ok here it goes. **

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Saturday morning had finally come. And both lovebirds, I mean . . . friends, had awaken a little earlier than a typical Saturday day, just to prepare for their date . . . I mean, hangout.

**Tea's House**

Tea was gathering all of her stuff to get ready to meet with the pharaoh. It was 8:47 am, meaning she had plenty of time for a girl to get ready for her 10 am meeting. Well not that she woke up early or something. She hasn't slept at all ever since she got laid off from the hospital. This did not bother her, however. She was used to this kind of lifestyle since . . . ever. She only got some sleep only on rare occasions. And those occasions would be when she was around a special somebody. Tea, knowing who that person was, hated it. She hated it so much because she had to stay awake all night while he slept. She hated it because while he was in peace, she was under pressure. She hated it that, while he forgot of all worries in his sleep, her mind would remind her of the one responsible for this torture. A torture that always brought back many of the memories were he had tormented her. Tea was glad that, so far, both Bakura's and her plans were going just as planned. All so good in hopes of making the one who deprived her from her sleep and much more to pay for what he deserves.

Tea took a quick hot shower. When she got out, she took a towel and covered her body with it. She looked at herself in the bathroom's mirror. Her glance then dropped at a particular spot in her left arm. Just above her elbow and just above her shoulder, there was a tattoo, no not a tattoo, a mark of the eye of udjat, the same eye seen in all of the Millennium Items. She moved her right hand just around it. 'If I want the Pharaoh to fall for me,' she thought, 'then I'll have to expose more of my body to him. But if he sees me with this, he'll think that I have some sort of relationship with him and the Millennium Items. I could use my powers to cover it, but it will cost me a lot. I just hope that this day doesn't come out as expected.'

She began chanting something under her breath, with her eyes closed, and her right arm in the same position as before. After a while, she opened her eyes and looked to were her mark was. It was gone. There was nothing in there but her own flawless porcelain flesh. With that done, Tea quickly walked back to her main room and began to dress in the outfit that she chose well over earlier in the morning. She put on a yellow, strapless, shirt with a pink mini skirt, two long black socks, and two pink shoes. She was planning on wearing a jacket this day, but instead decided to go with out in hopes of having the pharaoh to lend her his jacket, just like in those romantic movies were the guy give his jacket to his lady. When she was done, she instantly combed her hair in the same typical everyday hairstyle. What other choice did she have with having short hair? She looked at herself in the mirror once more before heading out to meet the Pharaoh. It was now 9:23am, and for her to walk to Domino Station, it would take her up to around 9:50 am.

"I hope the Pharaoh doesn't forget about this like he did years ago," Tea said as she stepped out of her house and closed the door behind her. "With the magic I've just used, I just hope I don't lose it if he comes late or doesn't come at all," she said, heading towards her destination.

**Yugi's House**

"Common Yugi!" the Pharaoh screamed at the little spiky-haired boy in his spirit form. "I don't have much time for this."

"Yeah I know that," said Yugi as he walked back and forth from the closet in his room, bringing a bunch of clothes along the way. "But you just can't look 'normal' on your date . . . eh . . . hangout with Tea!"

"What's the deal anyways? She is just my friend. I bet that she'll also dress normal too."

"Well, you said you wanted to make this day a special day for Tea, and that requires you to have a perfect attire. Like this!" He took of the clothes he had and instantly put on the clothes that he just found.

"Please Yugi don't do this to me."

"My body, my rules. Now, let's see . . . what time is it?" He took a glance at his alarm clock, only to suddenly run down stairs in a hurry. "I can't believe it's now 9:44! You are going to get late!" He made it out the door, passing his grandfather with a waving hand, and onto the street he went.

"Hold on here! You are the one that made me try all of those clothes all this time. You are the one that's making me late."

"Well, it's your date . . . hangout you're having with Tea, not me. But if you want to upset Tea after what she did for us, then it's up to you." At this, the Pharaoh instantly switched places with Yugi and began running faster than him.

"I hope I can still make it," the Pharaoh said.

**Domino Station**

Tea was waiting "patiently" for the pharaoh to come into view. It was almost 10 o'clock sharp and he still hasn't showed up. She began to move around in circles as her patience began to stumble down little by little as the accorded time came. She waited three more minutes for him, yet he still didn't show up.

"You did it again," Tea finally said as she looked up at her watch for the hundredth time. "Yet it still doesn't surprise me. I'll just leave." But when she turned around to leave, she heard a loud deep voice calling her name.

"Tea! Wait!" yelled the voice again. It was him, the Pharaoh, running up to her from the corner of the street. When he reached her he suddenly lowered down to his knees, in an effort to have his breath back in him. "Hey," the pharaoh said as he took larger amounts of breath in.

"Hey," Tea said, looking down at the Pharaoh in a way of hurt for what he did.

"Tea," the Pharaoh breathed in. "I'm (takes more breath in) I'm sorry I'm late. (He takes in more breath. I know that giving you excuses won't help, but I (more breath) I want you to know that I'm deeply sorry about this. Would you forgive for this?"

Tea sighed and patted the Pharaoh's back. She then pulled him up from his bent position so that he could breathe easier. "Don't worry about it. It's ok. Just don't let it happen again. Promise?"

"Promise," the Pharaoh said in a last intake of breath thanking Tea and his body for returning back to normal. He looked at her for a moment and noticed that Tea had still had her arm around his back. He blushed a little and looked down at the ground. Tea noticed his blush and saw her arm still around his back. She immediately retreat her arm from its place.

"So," She said, looking down at the ground as well, "where to?"

"Are you hungry?"

'Only when you are around,' Tea thought. "Yes I am. I left in a hurry that I forgot to eat some breakfast."

"Me too. Come on, I'll take you to a place I know of."

"You hardly know Domino City. How did you get to know that place?

"I ran into it occasionally."

"Where is it?"

The Pharaoh turned his back to him and put out his right elbow for her to grab. "You'll see it when we get there?"

"Why not now?"

"You'll ruin the surprise." Tea looked down for a moment. She suddenly just gave up to her investigations and walked over to the Pharaoh to take his arm. The Pharaoh smiled and pulled Tea towards his secret destination.

"Just promise me that it won't involve any abnormal situation," Tea said.

"Sorry Tea, but I find it quite impossible for me to that."

Tea sighed. "At least promise me that nothing wrong will come from this."

The Pharaoh stopped his pace and looked straight into Tea's sapphire eyes. "Tea, I promise you that I will not allow anything or anyone to hurt you. Not even on this day that I planned for you." Tea looked deeply into his amethyst eyes and for the first time in her life, she trusted him. She nodded to him and they both resumed their walk.

"Alright, but it's not really me that I'm worried about. I just don't want anything to happen to you as well." When she said that she looked down at the ground and then back up at him to save herself. "I mean, you are my friend, and I care a lot for you."

"That's really nice to say Tea. Thank you. But you don't have to worry about me as much. It's you that I'm most concerned about. What you did for me the last couple of days has a great value and merits my most sincere repay."

"One that you didn't really have to do."

"But I'm already at it. So I hope that you'll enjoy it just . . . now." The Pharaoh soon stopped dead on his tracks as Tea slipped her arm off from his to stare at a small sushi restaurant near the port. Just what Tea had been craving for when the Pharaoh met her at Domino Station. Well, not that she really did know how sushi really tasted like, but ever since it became a great hit in the food industry, she had been yearning to try one, regardless if the taste of it will not come at hand. Yes. Just as Tea couldn't sleep while he wasn't around, she could also not taste the food. And when he wasn't around, so would her hunger for food, regardless if she had eaten a snack or not. "I know most people would prefer to eat this food later in the day," the Pharaoh said. "But a little bird told me that you have never really tried this before and that you really did mean to go to this place sometime. So I brought you here."

"Oh my . . . I can't believe it. How did you know about this?" Tea clamored after a while.

"Lets just say that a little bird told me what you wanted to do for a long time. So I brought you here."

"O! Thank you Spirit!" Tea said hugging the Pharaoh tightly.

"Don't thank me just yet," he said as he hugged her back and then parted from her. "Not at least until we finish our meal there." He stretched his hand towards her and she took it not hesitantly. They entered the sushi restaurant. It appeared to be mostly alone, but this was typical of a sushi restaurant during the morning hours of the day. The couple didn't really care about the amount of people present in this restaurant. After all, it gave them more privacy to use for their convenience. A waiter came up to them at the door.

"Good morning to you two. How may I help you tonight?" the waiter said to them.

"Good morning," They both responded. "We would like a table for two please, one near a window to the sea," the Pharaoh said in his most resonant voice.

"All right, just follow me this way please." They followed him. The Waiter took them both to a table next to a window with a view to the port full of ships, sea, flying birds and a beautiful clear-blue sky. The Pharaoh gently pulled out a chair for Tea to sit on. "Thank you," she said as she sited on it. The Pharaoh just nodded before he headed to his sit. The waiter gave them two menus, one for each. He took out a small note pad with a black pen and said, "Before ordering any meal, would you like to order a drink while you decide?"

"Do you want anything to drink Tea?" the Pharaoh asked.

"I don't know let me see what you have to drink . . ." Tea said as she looked over the menu in the beverages contents. "I would like to a have Iced Tea please." She said after viewing her options. The waiter jotted her request at the very sound of it

"All right, and what would you like to have sir?" he asked to the Pharaoh with his pen still at hand.

"What she said," The Pharaoh said. What else could he think of? He rarely went out for dinner. As a matter of fact, he knew nothing of the food and spices at hand. They were all strange to him. So he trusted his friend and chose the same thing off from the menu. Well, from Tea's option.

The waiter just nodded as he jot it down on his note pad and instantly put it away. "Ok. Your drinks will be ready for you in just 5 minutes. I'm Josh and I'll be your waiter for the day. Please feel free to ask me anything if you have any questions or concerns."

"Ok," they both said, and with that, the waiter nodded and left. They both looked down at their menus as they both wondered what they were to eat. "Have you tried this before, Spirit?" Tea asked after a while.

"Well . . . I . . . I," The Pharaoh babbled as he wondered what to say. 'Yes! Say yes! Just say it!' Yugi told him as he appeared next to him and elbowed him. The Pharaoh tried not to feel any pain from it, knowing that if he did, Tea would be suspicious. "I mean yes. Sure. It was . . . a long time ago."

'Liar,' Tea thought as she flashed him a smile. A smile that made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. "When was that?" she asked after a while.

"When . . . it was when . . ." the Pharaoh looked around in the restaurant in search for anything to help him. 'It was after we beat Pegasus,' Yugi screamed at him through their mind link. "It was after we defeated Pegasus. A long time ago I tell you," The Pharaoh said, following Yugi's suggestion.

"How did you know about this place?" Tea asked.

"One day when Yugi decided to go for a walk," the Pharaoh responded.

'NO!' Yugi screamed to the Pharaoh in their mind link.

"Yugi never takes long walks from his house," Tea pointed out.

'Yeah! I never take long walks!' Yugi proved.

"Yes, but that was a day that Yugi was thinking about for a long time that he lost track of time and didn't even noticed where he was going," the Pharaoh tried to explain.

"Ok, so I get how you got to know this place. Now tell me. What should I eat?" Tea asked.

"Anything you'd like Tea," the Pharaoh responded.

"Yeah, but the thing is that since I'm new to this place I've got no idea what to try for y first time. So can you give me at least one advice? I mean you already know what they serve in here and how it tastes like, right?"

The Pharaoh looked instantly down at her menu. He didn't just wanted to give her a random meal that she wouldn't like, or would he? "Are you telling me that I'm lying about this?" he asked after he gave up in an effort to see any sushi craving that Tea would like.

'Yes,' Tea thought. "That's not what I meant," she then said as she looked down at the menu.

"I see that you don't trust me," the Pharaoh said, making a look of hurt in his face. "Alright, to prove my word, I will challenge you to a game."

"Common Spirit, isn't duel monsters just enough of a challenge for you? I trust you alright."

"Sorry Tea, but once I made the challenge, I can't back down, and so can't you."

"But I didn't even agree to take the challenge! Ok just tell me, what is it about?"

"Look up for something in the menu. Pick the one that you think I won't like, and so will I with yours. If I get disgusted from any food you order for me or you do, I'll declare myself to be a liar and I'll be . . . your slave for the day."

"Sounds fair."

"Yes, but if we both like our meal, then you will play duel monsters more often with me and our friends."

"But I'm only a rookie! I know nothing about the card game!" Tea clamored. 'Every time I duel,' Tea though, 'it slowly releases more of my true inner strength, which are very hard to keep inside. If I duel more often, my identity and my whole work that I've put up with Bakura for so long ago would be blown up. I've gotta win this game.'

"You know just enough, Tea. And don't worry; I'll be there to teach you some tricks."

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"It seemed to be the only way to convince you that I'm not a liar." The Pharaoh looked over to a nearing figure with two cups on top of a large round plate he was carrying with his right arm.

"Iced tea for the miss," Josh said as he reached their table and place a cup of iced tea near were Tea sat. "Thank you," Tea said. "And iced tea for the gentleman here," Josh continued as he set another glass of iced tea near were the Pharaoh was seated. "Thank you," the Pharaoh said. "My pleasure," Josh responded. "Now, have all had enough time to decide what you are ordering for the day or would you like some more time?"

"We're ready. The lady will get a . . ." the Pharaoh said as he quickly skimmed the menu booklet. "An octopus roll, unfried," the Pharaoh said as he looked up and away from the menu, handing it to Josh in the way.

"An octopus roll for the lady," Josh said as he wrote it down in his note pad, "and what would you have, sir?"

"The gentleman," Tea said in a voice high enough to tease the Pharaoh for, what Tea said to be, his mistake, "would have a Dragon Roll . . . with a lot of spice in it."

"Are you sure sir? You do know that just one drop of our spice is enough to make you cry?" Josh questioned before writing it down. This shocked the Pharaoh, but he didn't let any sign of worry spread on his face.

"Definitely, it's my favorite roll," he quickly said. "Besides, you really shouldn't question what she says, not only because she's your customer."

"Sure sir. I'm sorry to both of you," Josh replied as he quickly jots down the Pharaoh's meal. "I'll bring it as soon as possible sir," he said, bowing and turning after he said it. The Pharaoh just shook his head at Josh, 'If he keeps doing that to anyone else, he might as well lose his job,' he thought. The very same word, _job_, had followed him to further his thoughts on something more important and intriguing question. What was his job in here? Sure he has saved the world many times by now, but is this really his destiny? That, he didn't know for sure, as well as his true identity and of his past memories. As the Pharaoh went through these thoughts over his head, his face expression changed to a more serious and discontent feature. Tea noted this as she scanned his face with her eyes.

"Spirit," she said a bit shy.

"Huh?" the Pharaoh responded.

"Is there something wrong? Is something bothering you?"

The Pharaoh sighed. "Don't worry Tea. It's nothing you can help me with," he said as he turned his head to face the port.

"Just try me."

"I don't want you to get involved with this again. Not with what you've been through already.

"Ph – Spirit, what happened days ago were just a bad day for everyone. Yes I could have gotten worse than I did that day, but, hey, it was worth it, because I saved the world's number one friend in the universe."

"Yes. But still Tea, I just can't stand the idea of you . . . or anyone else of my friends gets hurt because of some being or a mystical force. Tea, when you were at the hospital, I was very worried for you. I spent most of the nights with you when you were at the hospital in my spirit form. The sight of you lying down on your bed, with all those bruises and cuts you got from the ever-falling ceiling during the fire. Believe me Tea, if I ever come across Merick I swear I will – "

"Forget about him. Just for now. It's my day we're making here."

"You are right. Sorry I brought it up again."

"It's okay. But still, you haven't told me what's troubling you."

"Tea, like I said –"

"Please just let me help you with this spirit. I'm your friend, and friends help each other out. But I can't do that unless you tell me what's troubling you. Please Spirit, just let it go, and we'll see how it goes."

The Pharaoh sighed a heavy breath. "Very well," he said. "I was just thinking about what I'm supposed to do here in this world. I was just wondering how I got to be a spirit trapped inside a small golden item, without even knowing just how I did it. I can't even remember my past!"

"Spirit, don't be so down on yourself for what's going on with you and what happened to you. You have plenty of time to know just how you got here and know a little bit more about yourself. Hey, wait a minute, your millennium puzzle! It has the same eye that I saw on a magazine about the city's museum. It's called the eye of udjat, the Egyptian eye! Maybe you have some origins in Egypt! We should go check it out at the museum if you'd like."

The Pharaoh's face lit up at Tea's faithful speech. "You think that I'm related to Egypt?" She nodded as she took out a magazine from her bag. She flipped through the pages and spotted the section that she was looking for. She placed her right index finger on a picture of the eye of udjat and turned the magazine so that the Pharaoh could see it.

"Definitely, I bet we can find some answers about your past if we go there."

"That's great! We shall go there when night comes."

"Sure!"

"An octopus roll for the Lady," Josh said as he came in with their plates placing Tea's plate first on the table. "And a Spicy Dragon Roll for the gentleman," he continued as he placed it on the Pharaoh's side of the table.

"Thank you," they both said in unision.

"You are welcome. Feel free to call me for anything else and enjoy your meal."

"I hope you do Tea," the Pharaoh said.

"and I hope you don't,' she responded. They both took their chopsticks that came along with their plates and began to eat their meal. Both never looking away from the other, they were both waiting for the reaction that one of them would have as they tasted it.

* * *

Well, that's it so far. This is what just has been part one of the Pharaoh's and Tea's date, I mean hangout. And don't worry folks. I'll answer all of your questions about Tea's big mistory in this plot. I promise to update soon if you promise to review too. :)


	5. Chapter 5: Trust Me

With their food ready at hand, they both put the basic topping on their sushi rolls, like soy sauce, lemon wasabi, and ginger. When they were done, they picked their chopsticks up and grabbed a piece of their roll.

"On your marks," the Pharaoh said, as he grinned at Tea.

"Get set," Tea followed.

"Go!" They both said, and so they put the piece of their perspective roll in their mouths. Tea had to repeatedly smash down the octopus' tentacle. She tried to make a frown to appear in her face, but the flavor of her piece of her roll was so good that she let out a small "mmm" for her pleasure. She instantly tried to cover her mouth, even though it wasn't open. She looked at the Pharaoh's expression on his face. His face was turning into a bright red color with his eyes, building up small salty tears that tried to escape his body.

"Spirit? Are you ok?" Te asked. The Pharaoh swallowed the food down hard, burning his throat as it passed down to his stomach. He let out a couple of coughs as he reached for the iced tea.

"Ah!" He said as he stopped drinking his iced tea. "That was delicious!"

"Really?" Tea asked, not really sure whether he was lying or not.

"Sure it is! You should try it! Here," the Pharaoh said as he picked another piece of his roll and moved it towards Tea's mouth.

"Um, sure, but wait, let me have my drink ready," she said as she got her drink at hand. She opened her mouth and the Pharaoh dropped his piece of sushi roll in it. Tea instantly closed it and began to bite it faster than her last piece of sushi roll just as soon as it touched the tip of her tongue. When it was all broken down in pieces, she swallowed it and went for her iced tea for freshness. The Pharaoh chuckled a little when he looked at her face and noticed that it had turned bright red like his, with salty tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks. She looked up from her drink and let out a big heavy sigh of relief.

"Well?" the Pharaoh asked.

"What?" Tea asked a little bit confused.

"Well what do you think?"

"It's really good. It's just too strong for my stomach."

"Well, and how about your sushi roll? Did you like it?"

"I . . ."

"Go on."

Tea gave up as she said, "Yeah. I loved it!"

"I'm glad. Now tell me Tea, when do you want me to give you dueling lessons?"

"You're kidding right?" Tea asked nervously

"We both know that I hardly ever 'kid' with anyone here," he responded. Tea sighed at this. "Don't worry, I promise you that I will turn you into one of the strongest duelist around here. Now let's finish our meal so that we can head to my second surprise for you."

"There's more?"

"Yes of course. I promised you that I would make this day the best you ever had, didn't I?"

"I never really thought of you as a good promise keeper."

"What makes you say that?"

Tea looked down and regretted having to say that last part with him. She had allowed herself to become comfortable talking to him, maybe way too comfortable. "Never mind it," she finally responded.

"Please Tea, just tell me," the Pharaoh pleaded.

"You wouldn't understand," she persisted. 'At least not if you're the one that caused this,' she thought.

"Try me."

Tea looked over the room, thinking for a logical explanation to give to him without really revealing the whole true and harsh reality behind it. "Ok. I'll tell you," she said as she had decided what exactly she would spill. "Years ago, before I ever reunited with Yugi since I left Domino, I was in love with a boy at my local school in Tokyo." When she mentioned it, the Pharaoh felt uneasiness in his stomach accompanied with a pain in his heart, as if a sharp dagger had stabbed it. "I became his friend as we saw each other a lot, since he was in most of my classes and his parents worked with mine. As the days came by, our bond grew stronger; we ended up being a couple." That word. That sane word, it was like the dagger that had struck his heart once, has done it again.

"Go on," he motioned, with a little sense of pain in his tone. Tea saw this and flashed a smile to lengthen the pain he had. Well, part of it was that. But the other part of that was that the very memory of the real story was of pure happiness. One that had vanished as destiny played a prank in her life.

"We went out together a lot to many different places, like the movie theatre, the park, the beach, restaurants, arcades, and lots of other things. When we came back to the same place for more than twice, he always managed to make it more special than the last ones. One day, we were behind the school library were no one hanged out. He gave me a necklace with a stone that looked like a heart as a gift for our year anniversary. He promised me that he would always be by my side, and that he would never let me down for an eternity. Those days, were the happiest days of my life that I have ever lived so far," Tea said. She took a deep breath in and out, looking out the window.

"What happened next?"

"That jerk," Tea sighed looking back straight at his eyes. Her face, which had once held sweet and kindness, had turned to an endured and angry expression. "Two weeks after that, when the school bell rang, I walked to where he would always come pick me up. I got there, but I didn't see him anywhere around. He was always there earlier than me. I wait for him for a while, but he still didn't show up. So I give up and go around the hallways looking for him. I asked his friends if they saw him. They told me that he was already home, which was really weird because he never skipped out of school. I go to his house, I was about to knock on the door, but I saw it half way open and just walked in. He always did that in my house so I though, 'why not do it now? He must be sick.' I go up to his room and . . ."

"It's alright Tea you can trust me," the Pharaoh said as he saw how Tea's hand began to tremble in mid air.

'Keep it in, Tea. Keep it in,' she thought. "I open the door to his room, and I see him there, lying down on his bed with another girl by his side, kissing her," she finally responded, letting go some tears that had already formed in the beginning of the conversation. "He kissed her," she continued. "He betrayed me. He broke his promise!" Tea was now looking at the Pharaoh with a look of hurt and anger written on her face. The Pharaoh stood up from his seat and went over to Tea's side. He kneeled next to her and placed his hands on both of her shoulders, turning them to face him. Tea tried to evade his locking view, but just the sight of those eyes glancing back at hers were like a thieves' lust for gold.

"Tea," the Pharaoh said.

"It's hard Spirit! It's hard to trust someone again, even your own friends! It's hard to trust someone again when a certain someone just blew it!" Tea's body began to tremble a whole lot than her small hand did. The Pharaoh noticed this and thought of nothing else to do for her. He hugged her tight. This took Tea off guard.

"Tea," he said. "It's ok. I understand."

"It's hard."

"I know Tea. But I promise you this; none of our friends are like this. And neither am I." Tea kept on trembling within the Pharaoh's embrace. As this kept on, Tea was no longer the only one shaking, but so was the ground. It began to shake, an earthquake. It wasn't the type of earthquake that would send all objects to crash down to the floor; rather, it was slightly shaking the restaurant and everything within it. But the Pharaoh didn't even take note of that, for his only concern in this place was her. "Tea, you can trust me as much as I trust you."

"Words can be easier to be said than done. How do I know that you would be just like him?" 'Just like you did years ago' Tea later added to her thought.

"I promised you to take you out to eat, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"I promised you that would like the sushi roll I ordered for you, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"I promised you that I would like whatever sushi rolls you asked, didn't I?"

"Ha, ha, ha. Yeah."

"And were any of those promises true?" the Pharaoh backed a little from the embrace to see her directly in the eyes and for her to see his. Tea had stopped trembling and so did the ground.

"All of them."

"And before this day is over, will allow me to fulfill the one I've set up for you as my reward for your bravery?"

Tea smiled a little. "Only if . . ."

"Only if . . . ?"

"If you promise me that you won't make me against high rank duelists."

"Do you trust me now?"

"I guess I am."

"He, he. Don't worry Tea. I promise you I won't do it."

"Not once in a life?"

"Never."

"Then you can finish your promise."

"Alright, are you done with your roll?"

"Almost there."

"Good. Just as soon as you're done eating your roll, we can go straight to the next part of the date."

"Date?"

"I . . . I meant surprise. You'll see the next surprise stored for you." The Pharaoh quickly fixed it.

"Oh ok. Where is it?"

"You'll see it when we get there."

After that, Tea tried to instantly gulp down the rest of her meal, eager to know what her next surprise would be.

"Hey guys, did you felt the earthquake?" a person asked from a nearby table.

"Earthquake?" the Pharaoh asked.

"Yeah, there was a small earthquake going on around here just a few minutes ago. And it's just so strange because it only hit in this restaurant because I called a friend that was just a few blocks away from this restaurant," another person of the same table said.

"Really? Well that's odd."

"Yeah it sure is," Tea added.


End file.
